richardosborne

Thanks for the info. I understand the definition of a skilled role, typically one that has a requirement of at least a Bachelor's degree in a related field, I have a Bachelor's degree in Maths so have been focusing on jobs in the financial and accounting field, while getting myself into a financial role over here to get some experience to take out there to help my chances.

The problem with N.I. is that there aren't many jobs available for maths graduates in finance without at least a 2.1 level degree, which I don't have, so the training isn't actually available to someone like me over here, but would be in America (hopefully with Robert Half International). Whether they'll try for an H1B or an H3 I'm not sure, but I'd say it's going to be likely to be an H3 unless they do financial placements in Colleges.

My current thought is what would the American immigration people do if I went out there on a holiday visa and ended up getting a job and applying for a visa? Would they boot my ass straight back to sunny Ireland or is it a normal thing for job seeking weirdos like me to come out and not state their intentions to immigration? Am I going to have to get a job, come back home, apply for a visa, then come back out?

ian-mstm

You can't "get a job"... it would be illegal for a company to hire you when you don't have authorization to work in the US... and not only can't you apply for a visa from within the US, you personally aren't allowed to apply for an employment visa. Yes, it's a Catch-22 situation, but that's the way things work here. To get a visa, you must first have a bona fide job offer from a US company... and then *they* apply for a visa on your behalf. Until you have the visa is your passport, you can't be in the US as anything other than a visitor. You can't even volunteer to work for them free of charge!

Ian

Noorah101

It's perfectly acceptable to come on the VWP for 90 days and job-hunt. You don't have immigrant intent. You are trying to find an employer to sponsor you for a work-based visa.

Yes, you will have to find an employer to sponsor you, at which point your employer will apply for your visa (either now if there's no cap, or in April 2009 if there is), then you'll go back home, obtain the visa, and then come back to the USA on your work-related visa.

Rene

richardosborne

That's exactly what I needed to know, thank-you Rene

Well I guess that won't be too bad, go out for a couple of months and (as Ian said) if someone decides to make a job offer and apply for a visa for me just go back home and enjoy the Emerald Isle for one last time before I bugger off for a year or two lol.

I think I'll miss real Guinness the most (happy now tonrob?) and real potato bread, though I might try to learn the recipe for that before I go.

Thanks again for all the advice so far it's been really helpful

tonrob

Stout is actually one thing the Americans excel at, so if you like Guinness you'll have all sorts of fun over here. I do think you're underestimating the extent of the curry problem though.... You can always get some Pataks off the internet and do a D.I.Y. job but as we all know it's not the same.

Honestly - why all this jibber about visas and the like when there are real problems to solve?

BritishGuy36

You're still talking like this is going to happen. The chances of it happening are quite low.

Get married to your USC girlfriend, or forget it, are your two most realistic options.

Tracym

Don't get hung up on the "taking jobs away from the yanks" part. If you can get the visa, go for it.

All the bit about taking jobs from the yanks means, is some yanks may be crabby about it. That's a political type problem, not your problem. imo you shouldn't worry about it at all.

btw... I'm a yank

Manc

seconded

richardosborne

That's a good way to look at it lol, thanks, I'll not worry about it

I always like to think that nothing is impossible if you're willing to give everything for it, so I reckon my chances are quite good! Besides, nobody likes Maths, or being accountants, no offence to anyone who is lol, but that means I'll be in a good position I think.

You should never give up on your dreams just because they start to seem unrealistic or the chances become low, you should just try harder, that's my philosophy

BritishGuy36

Sorry mate, you're just a bit deluded. Being unrealistically optimistic isn't going to help you one jot with USCIS.

richardosborne

It's cool that you think that, but I'd be really sad and disappointed in myself if I gave up just because of an assumption.

Ray

Read the details on the
H1B visa ..you may notice something

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H1B_visa

ri_mischief

Hate to do this - but it's not an assumption. The US is a very difficult place to legally emigrate to without meeting VERY specific criteria. My US citizen OH didn't believe that until we went to a lawyer to clarify my options.

richardosborne

I have actually considered going to a lawyer, though it's quite expensive, but probably worth it to find out exactly what way to go about it!

Until someone from the US immigration services assesses me and says no, it is an assumption, perhaps a very likely assumption lol, but if there's a chance it's worth trying no? I think so.

I don't need other people to have faith in me, I've got enough for myself And now I have lots of really useful information about visas and the difficulties of immigration too, so I think I'll definitely pay for an American lawyer.

ri_mischief

Yep - do it - I went to an immigration lawyer in CA for aforementioned consultation (for reference CA and TX are some of the states where some of the more experienced immigration lawyers are due to their proximity to the borders) not to say that other states don't have them too before someone kills me....

Have you considered a J1 visa? That's a trainee type one - not sure on the qualifications - someone will jump in...

Good luck